Traffic signal



1952 H. B. MUELLER 2,616,388

TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed April 2, 194a 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR oHERERTB.MUELLER v OWL H. B. MUELLER Nov. 4, 1952 TRAFFIC SIGNAL '4Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1946 Nov. 4, 1952 H. a. MUELLER 2,616,338

TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed April 2, 1946 4 SheetsSheet 5 INVENTOR HERBE'RTB.MUELLER- Nov. 4, 1952 Filed April 2, 1946 1-1. B. MUELLER 2,616,388

TRAFFIC SIGNAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 [[1 1111 1512 x ife 45a 4 #5 11 & W5):

\ as A54,

INVENTOR HERBERTB.MUELLER Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE TRAFFIC SIGNAL Herbert B. Mueller, Los Angeles, Calif,

Application April 2, 1946, Serial No. 658,893

.20 Claims. 1

My invention relates to .a traffic signal and has for its principalobject to provide a signal designed to be placed at the intersection ofS r ts d h ghways to provide a warning to pedestrians as well as todrivers of vehicles when they may cross the intersection in safety.

The principal object of my invention is to provide means in a trafliccontrol signal, that will make it possible for the pedestrian andmotorist to use his or her God given judgment as to when he or she maycross an intersection in safety.

Another object of my invention is to change the mental attitude of thepedestrian and motor.- ist from uncertainty, danger and confusion tocertainty, safety and serenity, by displaying both Red and Green lightin one panel at the same time and the use of an indicator constantlymoving across one color and into the opposing color to indicate animpending change Of the signal,

Anotherobjectof my invention is to maintain a steady flow of traffic atan intersection by the use of .only one signal, with one light sourceand aconstantly moving indicator clearly visible in four directions dayor night and thereby give positive warning to all persons at one and thesame time, of an approaching change.

A feature of my invention is, to Provide a wider portion of each end ofthe -Red or Stop light panel with the opposing color of green, and theGreen" or Ciro light panel with the opposing color of red, preceded by acolor of caution if desired. In this way, the pedestrian or driver of avehicle, after having noted the indicator moving on a panel of red orgreen toward the opposing color of green or red will have impressed onhis mindthe exact time of the on coming change; and as a result, hismind and eyes will be free to concentrate on the unknown acts of othermotoristsor pedestrians, instead of the usual unknown time of change ina conventional traffic signal.

Another feature of my invention is the moving time indicator or controlmember which may be a circular lighted or unligh-ted dark hand orpreferable :an arrangement of reflectors using the light "from the panelover which it travels and reflecting it to two sides and forward, thereflectors causing a dark area :in front of the light panel and light oneither side consisting of its own background.

Another feature of my invention is in the regularly spaced lateralextensions in the light panels which are useful to the pedestrian ormotorist as a gauge or scale so he can tell instantly, after havingnoted the direction of the moving indicator, the elapsed -jtime andthetime left :before a change in each cycle, and he will then be able touse his own judgement whether to cross or not to cross an intersectioThe accompanying drawings illustrate the in- Vention,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view partly in'section of theinvention,

F g,- 2 is a fragmental detail showing how the illumination controlmember or gauge is fixed to the cables.

Fig. 3 is a plan view partly in horizontal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1showin "the location of the locking dogs and spring mechanism foroperating the light control cylinder with parts broken away to showinterior construction.

Fig- 4 is a fragmental detail view Showing how the roller releases oneof the dogs.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmental exaggerated perspective detail viewthat shows the spring mechanism and also shows the engagement of theends of the springs with the tension producing pins,

Fig. 6 is a sectionalview analogous to Fig. 3 on the line ,6--6 of Fig,1, showing the top driving drum and how the pulley cables are fixedthereto and also shows location of the shields and light tubes or bulbs.

Fig. 7 is a small diagrammatic plan view of the moving illuminationcontrol member or gauge.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of Fig. '7.

Fig. .9 is a side elevation showing the light control cylinder andshowing the red color.

Fig. 10 is a view analogous to Fig. 9 showing the arrangement of the redand greencolors.

Fig. 11 is a plan view on a small scale ,of the oppositely arrangedspiral springs which function to impart intermittent reverse rotarymotion to the light control cylinder.

It is understood that the trafiic signal may be made in different shapesand sizes and various parts of the invention may be constructed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention; but the form shown is atpresent deemed most desirable for easy and cheap construction and readyinterchange of parts.

The invention comprises a housing It! having a top H, and bottom 12 andis provided with upright members l3 and outwardly extending fins orshields l4,

Enclosed in the housing H) are the oscillating light control cylinder 15that is rotatably mounted ,on a shaft [8 and an upper driving drum [6and lower driving drum all that a e mounted on the vertical shaft 1 8that is mounted inthe hearing I 9 at the bottom 12 of the housing andextends upwardly through-the top bearing to a conventional reductiongearing and reversing gear 21 that is operated by a motor 2-2 asshow-nin Fig. 1 of the drawings.

A moving illumination control indicator or gauge member 23 encircles thelight controlcylinder l5 and is raised and lowered through :the annularspace between the cylinder rand-side wall of housing I!) by cables 26over the pulleys 25 operable through the driving drums l5 and I! whenthe shaft i8 is rotated by the driving mechanism 2! and 22 in timingwith the cylinder l5.

The oscillating light control cylinder i5 is so constructed and arrangedso as to display red and green colors as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 of thedrawings and is composed of one or more parts or pieces of clear orcolored transparent material such as glass or sheet plastics and thosevertical areas between the colored portions" of the wall of saidcylinder may be clear, translucent or opaque.

Cylinder l5 has two windows colored red i511 disposed 180 degrees apartand colored green also two windows I51), 180 degrees apart. At the topand bottom of the red window are short horizontally disposed portions[50 colored green and sumptuary at the top and bottom of windows I51)are short horizontally disposed portions l5d colored red.

Lateral sections I56 of the colors red and green equally spaced as shownin Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawing and the vertical extension i5 of redcolor cooperate with the'traveling gauge or indicator member 23 toindicate the proximate lapse of time until the signal changes from redto green or vice versa.

Mounted in the light control cylinder are illuminated tubes or bulbs 26that are arranged in the desired position to provide the required lightat all times and are connected to a suitable source of current not shownby conventional wiring and contacts known to the art.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 11, a spring mecha-" nism 2'! is shown thatcomprises a top spring 28 and lower spring 29 that are operated by thetop driving drum Iii 'to oscillate the light control cylinder E5 to theright and left by releasing both locking dogs '38 through the roller 31releasing one dog and then the other intermittently. i

The light control cylinder is held in position by the stops 32 thatcontact the dog brackets 33 as shown. 7

As indicated in Fig. 5 a stationary pin 34 being secured to the web 3 2aor arm of a spider located inside the top end of the cylinder I5 and isrotatably mounted on the shaft I8 similar to spider 36 holds the springends in position and pin 35 depending from the spider arm 35 that isoperated by drum it through spider arm 36 to wind the springs 28 and 29to the right or left as shown in broken lines as at X and Z, Fig. 3 ofthe drawing. The springs 28 and 29 are provided at their opposite endswith hooks ends 28a and Zea-that fit into a tubing 34?) that is weldedto the hub of the web 35a. The locking dogs 3% are provided with atension spring 3'1 that tends to hold the dogs in latched position withthe latch 33 and are released by the roller 3! striking the projection39 0f the dogs 38 that are pivoted at so to the dog brackets 33 as shownin Figs. 3 and 4; of the drawings.

The traveling gauge 23 is constructed of an upper ring member ll andlower ring member 42 provided with a plurality of deflectors G3 andreflectors M. interposed between the ring members and so constructed andarranged to receive light from the windows of the cylinder I5 anddivergently reflecting rays of light from the windows as shown in brokenlines in Fig. 'l of the drawings.

- The spider 35 is fixably mounted to .the shaft- 4 l8 and is anintegral part of the driving drum I6, and the reversely displacedsprings 28 and 29 that are tensioned by the shaft l8 and drum operatingmeans 2! and 22 on topof-the top plate II to cause the light jcylin'derIi -to turn with a snap on each change of signal.

It is to be understood that in my improved signal, the driving motoroperates continuously, that the cylinder having the colored windowsrotates periodically for approximately degrees, first in one directionand then in the other so as to alternately display the red and green(stop and go) signals to traffic on the crossing streets and that thegauge ring or refleeting member that travels vertically uopn saidcylinder, moves continuously; first in one direction and then in thereverse direction.

Thus the signal being illuminated and having the continuously movinglight ray reflecting ring; naturally attracts the attention ofapproaching drivers and pedestrians and by noting the direction oftravel of the ring and its proximity to the ends of the illuminatedcylinder, they will know definitely whether or not they have sufiicienttime to safely cross the intersection or that they should await thechange of the signal to Go. A vehicle driver or pedestrian approaching acrossing equipped with the sig nal, observes the red or green color,also the position of the indicator and control ring" 23 relative'to thelighted window, and-is thus warned whether or not to proceed or stop.

If the indicator ring is moving upwardly through the lower portion ofthe window or downwardly through the upper portion of said window, theobserver knows he has ample time to proceed, but when the ring reachesand passes the laterally disposed extensions 15c, which are in effectcaution or warning signals, the observer is warned that a signal changewill shortly take place. Vertical extensions l5fat the ends of thewindows 15b in cooperationwithring 23, are efiective in giving furtherwarning as to an impending signal change.

The speed of the motor driven gearing 2 I, the tensioning of the springs28 and 29 and the travel of ring 23, are regulated and co-related, sothat there is a short interval of time, one second more or less, betweenthe relea'se'of the light cylinder [5 holding means and the-starting ofring 23 from the short periods of stop at the ends of its travel.

Thus the animation resulting from the combination of the constantlyilluminated Windows and the reflecting ring or gauge constantlytraveling across said windows, provides an extremely valuable andadvantageous safety factor for the control of traffic and prevention ofaccidents at intersections.

My improved signals may be installed at intersections along a boulevardor arterial highway: and set for successive operation, so asto progres-*sively function and thereby enable vehicles to be driven at lawful speedon the highway for a considerable distance, without stopping;

Thus it will be seen that Ihave'pro'vide'd" a trafiic signal that issimple in construction positive in operation, inexpensive of manufactureand very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

I claim:

1. In a traific signal ahousing having top and bottom plates, hearingson said plates, a vertical shaft journalled in said bearings; anoscillating cylinder and an upper and lower drum' mounted on said shaft;said cylinder having two sets-of differently colored windows; meansmounted on top of said top plate of the housing tooperate said shaft anddrums; reversely displaced springs for alternately rotating saidcylinder in opposite directions, which springs are tensioned by theshaft and drum operating means on topof said top plate; an illuminationcontrol gauge that encircles said oscillating cylinder and meansoperable by said drums to raise and lower said control gauge to regulatethe timing of the changes of the differently colored light passingthrough said windows.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 and the windows of saidcylinder having short spaced guide portions extending laterally fromtheir vertical edges, means within said cylinder for illuminating saidwindows and pairs of inclined reflectors carried by said control gaugefor directing light rays radially outward from said gauge.

3. In a traiiic signal, a vertically disposed oscillatory cylinderhaving two sets of differently colored windows, each including shortlongitudinally spaced guiding portions extending laterally from bothsides, means for illuminating said windows, means for periodicallypartially rotating said cylinder alternately in opposite directions anda constantly moving gauge member arranged to move at predetermined speedacross said windows, first in one direction and then in the other.

4. A traffic signal the combination as set forth in claim 3, with meanson said gauge member for receiving and divergently reflecting rays oflight from said windows.

5. A traffic signal the combination as set forth in claim 3 and whichwindows are provided with lateral warning signal extensions at bothends.

6. In a traflic signal an oscillating cylinder mounted to rotate on avertical axis and having a pair of red windows and a pair of greenwindows, portions of said windows at the upper and lower ends thereofbeing distinctively colored, means for imparting periodic oscillatorymotion to said cylinder, a gauge ring arranged to travel vertically uponsaid cylinder, means cooperating with the cylinder oscillating means formoving said ring vertically while thecylinder is at rest and reflectorscarried by said ring for divergently reflecting the colored rays oflight emanating from said windows and from the distinctively colored endportions thereof.

7. In a traffic signal a revolvably mounted member having pairs ofspaced windows graduated lengthwise, one pair of windows beingdistinctively colored relative to the color of the other pair, withportions of said windows at both ends of one pair colored to correspondwith the color of the intermediate portions of the other pair of saidwindows, an indicator ring mounted to move lengthwise of the windows insaid revolvable member, means for imparting intermittent oscillatorymotion to said member and means for moving said indicator ringlengthwise of said member and its windows while same is at rest.

8. A traffic signal the combination as set forth in claim 7 and havingmeans within said revolvable member for illuminating same and saidindicator ring.

9. In a traffic signal, a light panel graduated lengthwise by lateralextensions, an indicator mounted for constant travel across said lightpanel so as to successively cover said lateral extensions and means forimparting reciprocatory 6 motion to said indicator lengthwise of saidlight panel.

10. The traflic signal as set forth in claim 9 with reflectors carriedby said indicator for reflecting light rays outwardly and laterallytherefrom.

11. In a trafiic signal, a longitudinally graduated light panel havingdistinctively colored end portions, an indicator mounted to movelengthwise of said panel and to enter said distinctively colored endportions at the ends of its travel, means for imparting reciprocatorymovement to said indicator at the ends of its reciprocation movements.

12. A traffic signal the combination as set forth in claim 11 and whichindicator is illuminated.

13. A traffic signal the combination as set forth in claim 11, and lightray reflecting means carried by said indicator.

14. In a traffic signal, a housing, mounted for rotation within saidhousing, driving means for said shaft, a light cylinder rotatablymounted on said shaft, means actuated by said shaft for impartingintermittent oscillatory motion to said cylinder and means for engagingand holding said cylinder against rotation during rotation of saidshaft.

15. The trafiic signal as set forth in claim 14, with driving drumsmounted on said shaft above and below said light cylinder, a pair ofreversely arranged springs associated with said driving drums and meansfor simultaneously starting right hand tension in one spring and lefthand tension in the other spring.

16. In a traflic signal, a shaft, a light cylinder mounted on saidshaft, reversely arranged springs between said shaft and light cylinder,one of said springs being under right hand tension, the other springbeing under left hand tension and means for alternately increasing thetension of said springs and thereby cause the light cylinder to make apartial movement at the end of each cycle.

17. In a trainc signal, the combination with a housing, of a lightcylinder mounted to rotate on a vertical axis within said housing, saidcylinder having oppositely disposed transparent differently coloredwindows, means including a motor and reversely disposed springs forimparting intermittent reverse rotary motion to said cylinder, means forengaging and holding said cylinder while same is at rest, an indicatorring surrounding said cylinder, means for reciprocating said ringlengthwise of said cylinder and its windows and a source of light withinsaid cylinder.

18. The combination as set forth in claim 17 REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Olafson Mar. 4, 1930 Number a shaft Y

